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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: track · ball · mate · stem · pound · arm · tube · chip

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. stem — to come from
  4. chip — for betting
  5. ball — a great time
  6. tube — the underground
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. ball — a dance
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. tube — a container
  12. track — a path
  13. mate — a friend
  14. track — to keep track
  15. stem — of a plant
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. pound — for dogs
  19. mate — to breed
  20. chip — to eat
  21. mate — a partner
  22. pound — a weight
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. track — a song

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com